


paws on

by teicakes



Category: Free!
Genre: Cat Cafés, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-06
Updated: 2016-11-06
Packaged: 2018-08-29 12:05:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8488798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teicakes/pseuds/teicakes
Summary: In apology for getting him caught up in the middle of something Kisumi takes Makoto to a cat cafe.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SharkGirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SharkGirl/gifts).



> Happy Makoday!

“Makoto, I’m really sorry!”

A wave of fluffy pink curls rolled over his forehead as Kisumi bent double, hands clapped together in front of his face in a sign of sincerity. From several dozen centimeters above him Makoto blinked in confusion. 

“Ah, Kisumi,” he chuckled nervously, “it’s okay, you don’t need to apologize. Or at least, you really don’t need to right here…”

As if on queue Kisumi was jostled off balance by a girl rushing for the train. Okay, maybe doing this in the middle of a crowded train station wasn’t the best place to beg forgiveness, but he had to. It was impossible to ever want Makoto to be mad at you, because you knew in the end he’d find a way to place some of the fault on himself, and then more and more until he’d be apologizing to you and the guilt would crawl up from your stomach and lodge in your throat until you swore you’d never do it again. 

Kisumi had only ever done that once before, and he had no intentions of ever reliving that feeling ever again. 

“Kisumi, please… people are looking at us funny…”

He stood back up to full height, practically eye to eye with the towering brunette, who - now that he was actually paying a bit more attention - was dressed somewhat fashionably today. Normally Makoto’s style was more in the avenue of 30-something-parent-half-with-the-trends but today he had on a nice button down and jacket combination on top of some well fitting grey jeans. Yeah, he was definitely going to make sure he made today special for Makoto. 

“Look, Makoto,” he held the other’s shoulder, shaking it slightly as he gazed directly into those lush green eyes. “I’m really sorry I dragged you and Haru into that goukon and then bailed on you. Hayato was having a really bad time back home and sometimes I’m the only one who can calm him down enough to help him get out what he wants to say. But that doesn’t mean I don’t feel bad about leaving you guys with that one really pushy girl from H Uni.”

One of Makoto’s soft smiles spread across his face. “It’s okay Kisumi. I understand, and Haru and I actually had an okay time at it, even if Mei-san was a bit… forward.”

“Nope, I still feel bad about it that’s why I’m treating you to lunch. C’mon!” He gave the other boy’s arm a tug and led him out into the bright sunshine of the street. “It’s just a couple blocks up this way!”

“Okay, okay! Calm down,” chastised Makoto, but there was still that same smile on his face and Kisumi knew it was just gentle teasing. They walked side by side, in easy conversation, discussing the horrors of that night.  
“So according to Rin Mei-chan tried to get the two of you smashed, and when you wouldn’t agree to do shots she got so wasted and had the two of you escort her home.”

“Something like that. She was really... something else compared to the girls we knew back at Iwatobi.”

“If I heard right she grabbed your ass on the train and said she wanted use it as a pillow all night long.”

The brunette’s ears had gone several shades pinker than Kisumi’s hair. “Y-yeah… Haru pulled her off me and sent her home in a cab instead. Actually,” he paused, “why isn’t Haru here with us too?”

“This way.” Kisumi began to lead Makoto up a staircase in a one of the many high rises. “He said he didn’t feel like it. Told me to just order him 10 pounds of mackerel instead.”

“That does sound like Haru.”

“Fancy mackerel,” he groaned. “Got me to wake up at 5am this morning to go to the first market for him. Ah well, it was my fault in the end so I’ve got to take responsibility.” The morning had not been pleasant for a night owl like himself, but for once Haruka had grudgingly accepted Kisumi’s hug as he dropped the bundles of fish. 

“Kisumi… are we not?” Makoto pointed to the sign in front of them for a specialty tonkatsu restaurant, the other already several steps up the next flight. 

“Nah,” he said, unable to hold back the cheeky smile creeping its way onto his face. “I found something much better. C’mon it’s one more story.”

The door to the cafe was fairly unassuming, a regular grey with a cute floral sign denoting the hours and phone number of ‘Chaton Content’. Makoto followed behind him as one of the staff let them into the tiny foyer, gesturing to the pairs of slippers and tiny hand sink jammed into Kisumi’s side as she handed them a menu and began to go into the cafe’s rules. 

“Wait… Kisumi…” Makoto’s voice had taken on a quavering pitch, his hands trembling as he looked between the paper in his hands and the petite staffer. “Is…. is this a cat cafe?” At the waitress’s nod his eyes began to shine, entire face lighting up like the dawn, the sudden realization and joy spreading across his face like sunbeams. 

“You can both pick a drink from our menu, as well as any snacks you’d like as well before you head into the main cafe,” she said, her smile a close imitation of Makoto’s, clearly delighted another cat lover was there. “You’ll be able to meet several of our cats while you’re here, and each extra hour is another 700 yen.”  
Makoto quickly picked out a mocha and curry beef bun, as Kisumi took his time. He really shouldn’t, but seeing Makoto bounce on the balls of his feet in anticipation was too cute not to. It was like a toddler in the body of a baby faced basketball player. He chuckled to himself and ordered an iced milk tea and some kind sandwich before Makoto vibrated a hole in the carpet and followed him into the interior. 

The cafe was tastefully decorated to resemble a large, cozy living room. Multiple couches and pillows were littered throughout the space, a few coffee tables spaced throughout where patrons rested mugs and glasses. Cat trees and toys were spaced around like lamps, and boxes and tubes took up much of the floorspace. Looking up the walls Kisumi could see many carpeted shelves, ramps leading up to several of them for the cats to climb. And of course, scattered throughout, were the cats. 

Small tiny kittens barely bigger than Kisumi’s sneakers, big fluffy adults that lounged on chairs and shelves. One tabby lay on a cat tree centre stage, leg raised impossibly high as it continued to lick itself. 

He didn’t even have to look at Makoto to know how the other was reacting. A small high pitched noise was emanating from his general direction and Kisumi could easily picture how Makoto’s head was swiveling to and fro, trying to decide who to pet first. He gave the other a pat on the shoulder and plunked down on the couch next to a fluffy tuxedo who seemed mellow enough to appreciate a few ear scratches. 

After several hard moments of deliberation Makoto went to crouch beside an upturned box at Kisumi’s feet. He hadn’t even paid notice it until now, but Makoto clearly had. The brunette was making soft chirping noises hand dangling over the lip of cardboard. Was Makoto trying to get cats to climb into there? Kisumi’s cat (Oreo if the photos on the wall were correct) stretched it’s neck forward in curiosity but remained content in the comfort of her spot and his fingers. The two of them watched Makoto, a few other patrons and cats romping around the room paying him notice. Just as he was about to say something, suggest Makoto just pick a cat and pet them, the box shook. 

The smallest of mews came from the box and then literally the tiniest kitten he’d ever seen peeped out at Makoto. It was smokey grey, with large golden eyes, barely even the size of the brunette’s hand. After a seconds contemplation it rubbed against his fingers, tiny whiskers brushing up and down his knuckles. Moving slowly, so as not to startle it, Makoto scooped it up and held it to his chest, kneading it’s soft head fur as he settled down beside Kisumi. 

“How....” he stared. “How the hell did you know it was in there?”

Makoto just shrugged and tapped one of the kitten’s foot pads with a finger. “It was the only cat in the photos I couldn’t see on the floor. Figured it’d be hiding somewhere it could easily reach.”

Their waitress stopped by and placed their drinks on their table, grinning as she saw the tiny kitten in Makoto’s arms. 

“Ah, you found Kae-chan! She’s still a bit shy around people but loves being held, I’m glad she let you pick her up.”

“Yeah,” Makoto said, carefully reaching for his drink so he didn’t disturb the now purring ball of fur. “I guess the other cats tend to get more attention than her, but that doesn’t mean she deserves less.”

“I’m glad you noticed. I’ll be back in a little while with your food.” And with a wave she left. 

“Kisumi, do you want to hold her?” Kae was pushed forwards into Kisumi’s face, a literal ball in Makoto’s cupped palms, oversized eyes blinking at him as her tiny pink nose twitched to and fro. “She’s really really soft.”

“Y-yeah, of course,” he said, even as he began to panic internally. How did one hold a cat properly? He’d held babies before, knew how to support their heads and bodies, but this was a completely different type of baby. It seemed his fear was manifesting on his face, because as he reached out his hands Makoto began to coach him. 

“Gentle now, make sure you support her rear, hold her near your heart it’ll keep her nice and calm, like you’re her mother.”

Kisumi held the kitten to his chest and stroked her nose. She was soft. Amazingly actually, her fur far finer than Oreo’s, who - now that his attention was with another cat - hand lept onto the table and begun to bat at his straw. Makoto had already bent forwards and begun to woo a scottish fold chewing at a toy mouse. He startled as she moved in his hands, afraid she was about to jump free and hurt herself, but Kae simply flipped onto her side to hook her little feet into his sweater and purr up at him. She was so small, so cute… he ran a thumb along the short furs of her face before moving down to massage her scruff as Makoto had been. Kae let out a little mewl and he smiled to himself. Yeah, this was definitely a good idea. 

Makoto passed him his drink before another one of the more playful cats could bat it off the table and he juggled tea and kitten stroking, watching the other slowly slide down from his seat on the couch to the floor. He’d grabbed a toy from the nearby basket of offerings and was currently in the middle of teasing Oreo and two matching black cats with it, little tassel bouncing into and out of their paws. The other cat he’d been wooing earlier had slunk away, more interested in the contents of Kisumi’s lunch (tuna, as he later found out), than play. The waitress had plucked it back up from under his nose, tapping his nose with a disapproving finger and a “Buta, manners.” He’d passed her his empty glass and taken the plate from her, still a bit of a task with the grey kitten still snuggled up against him. 

“Buta… Buta please!” he huffed as the scottish fold batted his arm for the third time. The assaults had gotten more insistent with each bite, as if Buta knew that each one meant less and less chances of food for him. Kae was squirming again, which made it all the more difficult. 

“Buta…” he leaned down, so that the next time the cat raised a paw it caught on Kisumi’s cheek.   
His voice was a low hiss, like a mother confronting their whining child in the middle of a crowded shopping mall. “You know the rules better than me, no feeding!”

The paw bopped his face again. 

“No.” He said more firmly, and Buta seemed to catch the hint. His portly rear turned tail and he jumped down into Makoto’s lap. 

Makoto’s lap… now filled with no less than four cats. 

In fact, it was almost as though he was covered in some type of static cling, but instead of socks it was for cats. Buta was now in the process of trying to heave himself onto Makoto’s knee, but there were already a tabby and the two black cats nestled in his legs, sticking out a paw occasionally in request of pets. A large fluffy ragdoll was half on Makoto, half on the sofa, nuzzling up against his cheek and purring like a truck, and just then, as Kisumi watched, another cat came up along the sofa and began to rub itself on the back of his head. 

All the while Makoto sat in the middle of it, his face every bit as overjoyed and at peace as they’d come in. Maybe even more so. 

“Ah, pardon me.” There was a tap at Kisumi’s shoulder and he looked up. Their waitress held up a slip of paper. “Your hour’s almost up, do you want to extend your time?”

Kisumi looked back at the mound of cats that contained Makoto somewhere in their depths.

“I think so,” he said, pulling out his wallet and handing her a credit card. “We might be here a while.”


End file.
